


The Power of Speech

by SpiderMansUnfriendlyNeighbor



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Legends - All Media Types, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Anakin Skywalker Needs a Hug, Communication Saves the Galaxy, Everyone Needs A Hug, Everyone Needs Therapy, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Obi-Wan Kenobi Needs a Hug, Obi-Wan Kenobi is a Mess, Padawan Anakin Skywalker, Protective Anakin Skywalker, Young Anakin Skywalker, Young Obi-Wan Kenobi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-25
Updated: 2021-02-26
Packaged: 2021-03-05 18:52:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 16,126
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25510114
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SpiderMansUnfriendlyNeighbor/pseuds/SpiderMansUnfriendlyNeighbor
Summary: Everyone is a little bit more communicative with each other and it slowly saves the galaxy. Slowly becomes massively AU.
Relationships: Anakin Skywalker & Shmi Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi & Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi/Siri Tachi, Padmé Amidala/Anakin Skywalker
Comments: 78
Kudos: 274





	1. In the Dark of the Night

Anakin was cold.

  
Of all the changes that had swept across his life in so short a time, the one he couldn’t get over was that he was cold. Tatooine’s heat, his mother’s hug, her unconditional love, all had kept him warm. And now he didn’t have any of that. And he was cold.

  
Master Qui-Gon had seemed kind, like he had actually cared about him, but Master Qui-Gon was dead. Master Obi-Wan was nice enough, Anakin supposed. He was better than most of the people he had known on Tatooine. But he didn’t truly seem to care like Master Qui-Gon had, like his mother did.

  
Anakin didn’t really understand it. He knew that Obi-Wan was only training him because he’d promised Master Qui-Gon he would. He hoped that he could do something to spark that warmth in his eyes he’d seen in his mother’s, something to earn a hug or a “Well done,” something to make Obi-Wan want him, care about him. But Obi-Wan was just going through the motions every day. And Anakin hated it.

  
He curled up on his bed under the covers, shivering slightly. It was the middle of the night, and still, he hadn’t managed to go to sleep.

  
Maybe Obi-Wan was sleeping peacefully, not worrying about the child he had promised to care for.

  
“No!” echoed through the small apartment. Anakin bolted to his feet and flung himself across his bedroom and the living room into Obi-Wan’s room.

  
Obi-Wan was lying in his bed, his blankets twisted around him. He was squeezing the blankets hard in his fists. He turned his head fitfully back and forth. “No, please. Don’t leave me, Master.” His next words came in a whisper. “I’m not ready.”

  
Anakin’s heart broke. Had this happened before? Did he sleep through it? He had forgotten Obi-Wan had known Master Qui-Gon much longer than he had. It had to hurt Obi-Wan to lose him really bad.

  
He straightened out the blankets and pulled them up to Obi-Wan’s chin. He could see a tear tracking its way down Obi-Wan’s face. He jumped back as Obi-Wan whispered again, “Please don’t leave me.”

  
Anakin climbed into Obi-Wan’s bed and wrapped his arms around Obi-Wan. “It’s okay,” he said. “You’ve got me.” Obi-Wan stirred under his hug. Anakin just tightened his grip. His mother said that the worst thing in this world was that no one helped each other. Well, Anakin was feeling awful and horrible, but Obi-Wan was so sad he was sad in his sleep, so Anakin was going to hug the sadness away until Obi-Wan could be happy again. That’s what his mom would do, and Anakin wanted to be just like his mom when he grew up. “We can be sad together, Master Obi-Wan.”

  
Obi-Wan shifted and placed a hand on Anakin’s head. Anakin tensed, waiting to be told to go back to bed.

  
Instead, Obi-Wan shuddered, and the room filled with the sound of sobs. “What am I going to do without him?” The question came out sad and broken.

  
Anakin shrugged. What was he going to do without his mother? This was the prime moment to press on Obi-Wan what he’d been wanting since he’d been declared his Padawan. “At least we’ve got each other.”

  
Obi-Wan wrapped his arms around Anakin and sobbed. Anakin tried to radiate love and support for his new master. He didn’t know if it was working, but soon, Obi-Wan fell silent and stilled, sleeping peacefully.

  
Anakin wanted to get back to his own bed, but he was trapped by Obi-Wan’s hug. Oh, well. At least he’d gotten the hug he’d wanted. He snuggled up to Obi-Wan and fell asleep, barely noticing that he finally felt warm.


	2. Dropping Eaves

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anakin overhears a conversation between Obi-Wan and Yoda while chasing a droid.

Anakin didn’t want to admit he was lost, but he was. He had gotten out of class early and ended up chasing a broken droid he had wanted to fix. The droid had escaped his grasp, and he wasn’t sure where he was anymore. He hadn’t seen anybody in the halls except Master Mace, and Master Mace scared him, so he had hidden from him. He just couldn’t take that disapproving frown. No, he had to find his way out and find Master Obi-Wan or Master Yoda. Master Yoda seemed nice.

“I can’t do this.” Obi-Wan’s voice was heavy and breaking with sobs.

“Scared are you?” Master Yoda’s voice was craggy and quiet.

Master Yoda and Obi-Wan! Anakin would be able to find his way back to his rooms! But they seemed to be having a private conversation. He’d have to wait until it was finished to ask how to get back. He snuck down the mostly-darkened hall and caught a glimpse of Obi-Wan sitting on a cushion across from Master Yoda through a door that was mostly closed. Anakin settled himself down to wait until a proper time to break in and ask where the familiar rooms were.

“Not just…that, but yes, I suppose. He’s a young boy! I don’t know how to raise a young boy.”

Anakin straightened with a gasp. Obi-Wan was talking about him!

“How can I dare… how can I presume to train the Chosen One when I touched the Dark Side? I _used_ the Dark Side to kill Maul.”

Anakin’s heart thundered. He wasn’t even sure what the Dark Side was, but he was sure it hadn’t tainted Obi-Wan. Unless that was why he had been so cold and unapproachable, just going through the motions of life.

“Touched the darkness, many Jedi have, when rough times in their lives, they go through. The darkness, Qui-Gon faced, when lose Tahl, he did. Normal, it is, to be pulled to the dark, when strong negative emotions, you face. Lose you to it, we did not.”

“But I sensed darkness in Anakin’s future! That’s why I was so wary of him at first. What if that darkness is because of me, because I touched the dark? He is the Chosen One, so he has to face the darkness in the future. What if I fail him, fail to prepare him for facing that darkness in his future, facing the Sith, because I surrendered to it myself? How can I teach the Chosen One, or anyone, how to fight the dark when I’ve touched it myself?”

Obi-Wan sensed darkness in his future? Had he thought he was going to turn to the Dark Side? Anakin didn’t want to be the Chosen One if it meant he had to face and walk through darkness and defeat the Sith, whatever they were. He didn’t want to be the Chosen One at all. He didn’t want to face darkness, whether it meant surrendering to it or defeating it. Was there some way he could become a Jedi without being the Chosen One or fighting darkness?

“How can you not guide Anakin through the dark to the light, if touched it, you have not yourself? Relate to his struggles, you will not be able to. Fine, you will be, Obi-Wan. Worry so much, you should not. Only hold you back, it will. If struggling, for help, ask. A shame, it is not, to not know the way.”

Through the crack in the door, Anakin could see Obi-Wan bury his head in his hands. “But how do I raise a child? Do I be everything Qui-Gon was to me?”

“No!” Yoda said sharply. He poked his cane at Obi-Wan. “Be everything _you_ would wish if Anakin, you were. Follow your instincts, your feelings. Lead you well, they will. Different, Anakin is, from a normal Jedi. And mistakes, many mistakes, Qui-Gon made with you, or perhaps, so filled with strife, your relationship would not have been. To prove yourself, you do not need. As much a part of you and your worth as a Jedi is your impulsiveness and your compassion, as is your adherence to the rules and your patience. Well on Melida/Daan you did, for the information you had. Acted rightly, according to your heart and your moral code. Do not let that mission hold you back through your entire career. Proud of you, I am. A worthy Jedi, you are.”

Obi-Wan stiffened, then broke down into tears. Anakin sat in shock, unable to process the conversation he had overheard.

“What about…my…my attachment to Siri? How can my heart be worthy of a Jedi in that?” Obi-Wan finally sobbed.

Yoda sighed. “Wish, I do, that different, things were. Serve you well, your feelings for her do. A Jedi and a lover, mutually exclusive things, they are not. For over three thousand years, attachments were allowed for a Jedi. Now they are forbidden. Still alive, when I was born, were a few Jedi that remembered the old ways. Not dangerous were they. Blind, the current council is, in many ways. Miss the rise of the Sith, we did. However, lose hope, you should not. The old ways, we must remember and bring back, if defeat the Sith, we are to.”

Anakin shifted uneasily. He had heard too much, and if he stayed longer without saying anything, he’d hear still more. Obi-Wan, in love? And Master Yoda thought the current council was wrong and the old ways of the Jedi were better. So it was okay for Anakin to be a little uneasy with some of the things the Council and the Jedi were supposed to be. Master Yoda, the guy in charge, didn’t think it was okay either. Jedi needed to love. It was stupid to be a person supposed to help people and not supposed to love anyone.

But he didn’t need to listen in on any more private conversations. His mother would have killed him if she found out what she was doing. He crept up to the door and knocked lightly. “Master Obi-Wan?” His voice was small and timid. Would they get mad at him, hit him for listening to something he shouldn’t have or for being somewhere he shouldn’t be? “I got lost trying to catch a broken droid to fix it and I don’t know how to get back to our rooms.”

A soft sigh came from behind the door. It opened fully. Obi-Wan stood on the other side, gazing down at him with a soft smile. “Come on, little one, I’ll show you the way back.” He put a hand on Anakin’s back and gently guided him down the corridor.

Anakin stared up at him. He didn’t look mad or upset at all. “You’re not mad?”

“For what? You’re not the first padawan to get lost in the Temple.” Obi-Wan paused, his eyes glazing over. “And you’re not the first padawan to eavesdrop on private conversations, either.”

Anakin jerked. “How did you…but… I’m sorry. I just didn’t want to interrupt. The conversation seemed so important.”

Obi-Wan chuckled and rubbed his chin. “Yes, well, perhaps it’s for the best. I’m afraid padawans aren’t the only ones who get scared. I’ll do my best to train you, but I can’t promise I’ll do the right thing all the time. After all, even Jedi make mistakes.”

“That’s all right,” Anakin promised. He snaked an arm around Obi-Wan and gave him a hug. His master seemed rather starved of them, and his mother would never put up with that, so neither would he. “So who’s Siri?”

Obi-Wan sighed. “Padawan…”

Anakin giggled as fond irritation bled through to him. “Is she nice? Is she pretty? Is she a Jedi? How good is she with a lightsaber? How long have you known her? Did you always love her, or did it just come over you all of a sudden?”

“I don’t think my love life has any bearing on this conversation, my very young apprentice.”

“But how am I supposed to know what to do when I fall in love if I don’t know what happened when _you_ fell in love?” Anakin asked, trying to restrain a grin.

“ _When_ you fall in love?” Obi-Wan repeated. His eyes widened, and suddenly, he looked petrified. “Always…in motion…is the future,” he finally stammered.

Anakin hummed as he skipped along the corridor. “Yeah, but I’ll probably fall in love.” And he already knew who it would be with. Padmé Amidala was amazing. She could fight and was kind and thought slavery was horrible. “So you’d better tell me so I know what to watch out for.”

Obi-Wan sighed again. “Why don’t we go get food and talk about this later?”

Anakin shrugged. He would never object to food. “Okay.”


	3. Morning Musings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Obi-Wan and Anakin have a conversation about why washing hands is important in life.

Obi-Wan stared into the mirror, trying to quell his shaking. It had only been a couple of months, but the nightmares about Qui-Gon’s death didn’t seem to be going away. Regular sessions with Yoda helped some, but not fully. And waking up after every nightmare left him that much more exhausted and unable to see the point in facing the next day.

  
He wouldn’t even be a Jedi if it weren’t for Qui-Gon. He’d be a stupid farmer on Bandomeer, though of course all professions were equally worthwhile. And now, Qui-Gon was dead, without even a goodbye or an “I’m proud of you, apprentice.”

  
He died as he lived, Obi-Wan supposed.

  
He reached for his razor, but, just like the past couple of days, his hands shook too much for him to shave properly. He let the razor fall back down to the counter, from where Anakin would probably move it into another strange place. Obi-Wan wasn’t quite sure if Anakin thought he was actually cleaning up the ‘fresher or if he was just trying to make him laugh.

  
He sighed, a pain in his heart growing. That boy. He seemed determined to hug Obi-Wan as often as humanly possible. Obi-Wan wasn’t sure whether that was the Jedi way or not, but Anakin smiled whenever he gave him a hug, and sometimes, his warmth actually broke through the deadness Obi-Wan didn’t know how to combat that had swamped him since that day. So the hugs stayed without reproach.

  
As did, apparently, the beard that was currently growing on Obi-Wan. He wasn’t sure what he actually thought of it, but he needed to pretend growing it was actually intentional and not another thing he couldn’t handle anymore.

  
Obi-Wan shrugged on his outer tunic and went to knock on Anakin’s bedroom door. Not that Anakin even slept in his bedroom half the time. Most nights he ended up in Obi-Wan’s bed, and a couple nights he’d planted himself beside Obi-Wan “to ward off nightmares,” and no amount of pleading could convince him to move.

  
“Padawan, it’s late. If you don’t get up now, you could be late for class.” Not that it would probably matter much. Anakin was breezing through his catch-up classes with flying colors. It couldn’t be doing him any favors in the friends department, but that was sure to be easier once he hit his age group. It made Obi-Wan feel somewhat unnecessary, like there was really no point to him being around. But days like this reminded him that Anakin still needed him for something at least. Who would remind him to get out of bed after he’d definitely not been up all night working on droids he shouldn’t have in his room?

  
Obi-Wan didn’t feel like reprimanding him for that, either. It was a skill set that was always sure to be useful, and who would complain if the Temple droids were suddenly working better than normal? And perhaps it would stop Anakin from constantly talking about C-3PO, the protocol droid he’d built for his mom. He kept bringing up things he wished he’d done on him. No, Obi-Wan didn’t know where Anakin could find gold plating. No, he couldn’t send any to his mom on Tatooine. Why did it matter if Anakin could have found slightly better wires to put in his protocol droid? No, he didn’t know if Anakin should have altered the programming making it improper for the droid to impersonate a deity. Yes, it might come in handy if the droid was going on Jedi missions, but he wasn’t, was he?

  
He sighed. “Anakin, you need to get up.”

  
Anakin’s door creaked open and the boy shuffled out. His robes were crumpled, wrinkled, and askew, and, despite his short haircut, his hair still managed to be somewhat mussed. It appeared he was trying to speak, but all he got out was a wordless grunt.

  
“Anakin, did you fall asleep in your clothes again?” Obi-Wan turned to their small kitchen and began hunting up the cereal box.

  
“I dunno. I fell asleep.” A chair scraped.

  
Obi-Wan extracted the half-full cereal box from the back of the pantry and poured two bowls. He smiled at the inadvertent confirmation of his query. “I can see that.” He poured two glasses of milk and set the bowls and glasses on the table.

  
Anakin reached for the spoon, with a hand covered in black grease. 

  
“Anakin, go wash your hands before you eat.” Obi-Wan belatedly washed his own hands at the kitchen sink and sank into his seat.

  
“Why?” Anakin asked.

  
Still, the instinctive question, “What would Qui-Gon do?” rose in his mind, but he quashed it, as per Yoda’s instructions. He was not Qui-Gon, he was Obi-Wan. What would he want if he had asked that question as a young Padawan?

  
He would want a straight answer. Anakin was from Tatooine, after all, and a slave. Obi-Wan couldn’t imagine he was used to the concept of washing his hands with water before eating. “Because washing your hands with soap and water before a meal prevents many diseases. And also because you have a grease stain on your hands, and it is not incredibly healthy to ingest droid oil.”

  
“But it’ll waste water!” Anakin looked aghast at the concept of washing his hands before every meal.

  
“There is plenty of water to go around on Coruscant, young one. And something that prevents disease is never wasteful.”

  
Anakin slowly rose from his seat and plodded over to the kitchen sink. “Will my mother die of a disease? She doesn’t wash her hands before she eats.”

  
Again, an instinctive trained answer rose up in him. Attachments are forbidden. Anakin shouldn’t worry about his mother so much. But Obi-Wan’s old rebellious streak rose up in him. Master Yoda thought Obi-Wan being with Siri was fine. He thought attachments were fine for a Jedi. Who was he to question Yoda’s judgement? After all, Master Yoda was right. The Jedi had survived many thousands of years with attachments and taking in much older candidates. In fact, back in those days, they had had much higher numbers. Why had they changed now? It seemed foolish. Of course, it could have contributed to the Sith, but the new ways hadn’t prevented Xanatos, now had they? 

  
“I’m sure your mother will be fine. The excessive heat on Tatooine kills many germs that are not killed in Coruscant’s air.” Obi-Wan sipped his glass of milk, glad he had found an answer that wouldn’t spawn a debate over why Anakin’s mother would be safe not washing her hands and her son would die if he didn’t.

  
Anakin washed his hands and came back to the table without bothering to dry his hands. He put a spoonful of cereal in his mouth before asking his next question. “Will the Jedi free my mother? Now that they know there’s slavery on Tatooine?”

  
Obi-Wan restrained a sigh. He didn’t want to crush the boy’s idealistic heart and view of the Jedi, but he couldn’t let the boy go on thinking it was possible for the Jedi to right every wrong in the galaxy, either. “I don’t know. The Jedi have fought against slavery before. We dismantled the Zygerrian slave empire. And it is our mandate to fight for peace and justice wherever we go. But there are innumerable people in the galaxy, and only a few thousand Jedi. There is injustice wherever there are sentients. If the Jedi try to right every wrong, people begin to rely on us to combat injustice instead of doing it themselves whenever they see it. Sometimes, the best thing we can do is to enable people to rise up for themselves.” The deep-sea mining platform on Bandomeer and Guerra rose to Obi-Wan’s mind. “All we would need to do is find a way to deactivate everyone’s transmitters. Then the slaves of Tatooine could rise up for themselves.”

  
Anakin straightened. “I could do that!” He slumped. “At least, I was trying to. My machine wasn’t working.”

  
Obi-Wan smiled. “Perhaps you need time to learn more about mechanics. It is no shame to not know something yet.” He dug into his cereal. “I wouldn’t worry too much about your mother. She seems to be a very strong woman. I’m sure she’ll do fine.”

  
Anakin nodded slowly. “I wish I could talk to her, though. Just so I could make sure! She’s gotta miss me a lot.”

  
Pain stabbed through Obi-Wan’s chest. He had lost the man that was like a father to him. Anakin had lost his mother, and his mother had lost her son.

  
It went against much of the Jedi Code, or at least, the current Jedi Code, but maybe, just maybe, he could do something. It might ease Anakin’s fears to be able to speak with his mother again.  
  
Obi-Wan couldn’t ever be with Qui-Gon again, but Anakin still had his mother. Obi-Wan couldn’t take that away from him when she was still alive.


	4. We Be Brothers, You and I

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Obi-Wan space googles his family.

Obi-Wan stared at the Holonet screen as he had for the past hour, his fingers hovering over the keyboard. This internal war with himself had to end. He’d never particularly cared about his biological family, but being around Anakin had set him to thinking about his vague memories about his own family. The happiness, the contentment. Playing with his brother Owen.

What could knowing more about them hurt? It wasn’t signs of attachment. It _wasn’t_. And even if it was, it wasn’t like he actually wanted to go back and live with them. He loved being a Jedi. Just…would it hurt to know?

He typed in, “Owen Kenobi Stewjon” into the Holonet browser box and hit search. He didn’t know the names of his parents, so finding Owen would be his best bet. All they had been to him were Mother and Father.

The first thing that came up was a news article. “Owen Kenobi Becomes Father and Elected Senator of Voebw Province on Same Day”. He selected it.

The article was dated just a few days ago. A holo was at the top of the article showing a young man in his mid-to-late twenties sitting next to a young human woman on a medical bed, a newborn infant in her arms. The young man looked so much like him. Same hair, same chin, though Owen’s hair was longer and floppier. There were subtle differences in facial structure between Obi-Wan and Owen, but at a glance, if their haircuts were the same, no one would be able to tell the difference.

It was him. Beyond the physical similarities, Obi-Wan knew in his heart it was him.

He scrolled down to the article itself.

_It was an eventful Centaxday for Senator-Elect Owen Kenobi this week. Owen Kenobi, son of venerated professor Orron Kenobi and Countess Nayru Nbep Kenobi, was anxiously awaiting results from the planet-wide local elections when his wife, Ayumi Kenobi, went into labor. Ayumi Kenobi stated to the press that she did not believe the contractions were serious, and so the young couple remained at the victory party. Not long after, confirmation was received that Owen Kenobi had won his election as Senator of Voebw Province to serve in the planetwide legislature. Kenobi was in the middle of his victory speech when Ayumi Kenobi’s water broke._

_Ayumi Kenobi was rushed to the nearest medcenter, where she gave birth to a healthy baby boy. Senator-elect Owen Kenobi announced that the boy is to be named Obi-Wan after the boy’s uncle, newly knighted Sith killer Jedi Obi-Wan Kenobi. While the young senator has not had much contact with his Jedi brother, Kenobi states that the family is very proud of him and hopes his son grows up to be the type of man his brother is._

Obi-Wan fought back tears. He had parents, a brother, a sister-in-law, and a nephew. And his brother loved him, enough to name his son after him. His family was proud of him. Although, they probably only knew the few scraps of information about him they could find in the news. Would they be as proud if they actually knew him?

Orron and Nayru Kenobi. His father was a professor, his mother a countess. His brother was a politician. _Brother._

“What’cha lookin’ at?” Anakin asked.

Obi-Wan jumped. Anakin stood at his elbow, snacking on a fruit he shouldn’t have brought into the archives and speaking in a tone much too loud for the quiet space. He shushed him. “Speak quietly, padawan. Many Jedi are trying to research and meditate in this space. It would not do to disturb them. Besides, Master Nu does not appreciate loud speaking in the archives.”

Anakin sighed loudly and pocketed the fruit. “I’ll be quiet,” he whispered. He leaned on the table next to Obi-Wan’s arms. “What’cha lookin’ at?”

Obi-Wan was torn. He could lie and say he was just doing research, but lying was not the Jedi way, and if Anakin found out he was lying, his trust in him might be broken. And besides, Yoda had said to raise Anakin as himself, not as Qui-Gon might have, and to follow his feelings. His feelings were telling him to be honest. “My family. My biological family.” He scrolled up to the beginning of the article.

Anakin pointed to Owen. “He looks like you.”

“That’s my brother, Owen.”

Anakin screwed up his face. “Why do you say ‘biological’?”

Obi-Wan’s heart thudded. Jedi Code, or his secret feelings about the Order?

Yoda had said to act on instinct. Follow his feelings.

“Because the Jedi Order is also my family. Master Yoda, Master Qui-Gon.” He swallowed hard, having to stop at that. Master Qui-Gon. He’d cut him loose at the end, cut him loose for Anakin, but he’d acted so proud of him. Said he would become a great Jedi. But then why hadn’t he said something about that as he was dying? If he thought of Obi-Wan like a son, like Obi-Wan thought of him as a father, why had all of his last words been about Anakin?

Anakin shrank in on himself. “What about me?”

Obi-Wan drew in a deep breath. What Qui-Gon had thought didn’t matter, in the end. He was gone and Anakin was here, now.

He wrapped a hug around Anakin’s shoulders. “Of course you. Master Qui-Gon was like a father to me.”

“Mine too,” Anakin interrupted, whispering even quieter. Obi-Wan wasn’t even sure he meant for him to hear it.

Some part of him wanted to scream. Qui-Gon was _his_ father, not the father of some random boy off the streets!

“I’ve never had a father before,” Anakin continued.

Obi-Wan restrained a sigh, heaviness weighing on his heart. He wasn’t sure of the details, but something about being the Chosen One meant Anakin had never had a father, or something like that. Such a heavy burden for a child to bear. “See, Master Qui-Gon was a father to both of us. Do you know what that makes us?”

Anakin perked up. “Brothers?”

Obi-Wan nodded. “Brothers. So I say biological family because, while Owen is my brother, so are you, even though we’re not related by blood.” He tapped him on the nose. “And as your older brother, I say you shouldn’t bring fruit into the archives, and you’re going to spoil your dinner.”

Anakin grinned. “But it’s healthy!”

Obi-Wan repressed a groan. He knew Anakin wasn’t really taking his admonishments to eat healthy to heart, just as he clearly wasn’t listening to Obi-Wan telling him to sate his ever-present hunger by eating regular full meals, not by constantly snacking in the middle of classes. “As I can see.”

Anakin ducked out from under his arm and set his own hands on the keyboard. “I wonder what it says about my mother.”

Unable to answer without branding himself a hypocrite, Obi-Wan watched in wonder as Anakin managed to bypass security protocols to search almost the entire Temple database for his mother’s name. A few standard months ago, Anakin hadn’t been able to read Basic very well, and now he was bypassing low-level security.

“Padawan, I don’t want to see you hacking into the Temple archives again,” Obi-Wan said quietly but sternly. “Very little is off-limits to public viewing, and what is off-limits is so for a very good reason. You don’t want to accidentally stumble upon something that could scar you for life.”

Anakin snorted as he watched the screen load. Clearly, he must think because he grew up a slave on Tatooine, he’d seen it all.

“There are many things you do not know about life, little padawan. The Jedi have records of many Sith from history and their sordid pasts. Sith that regularly engaged in torture and mass murder of the worst and most horrific kinds. No matter how much you’ve seen of the galaxy, there are always deviances and depravities that can surprise you. Trust me, the security protocols are there for a reason.”

Anakin shrugged. “Look!”

A comms record appeared at the top of the screen. Just a few hours ago, a human female had contacted the Temple claiming to be Shmi Skywalker. According to the records, Shmi had spent a grand total of four hours on the comm, 78 percent of which was spent on hold. The rest of the time, she was speaking with droids in various agencies at the Temple and, according to the transcripts, attempting to find out what had happened to Anakin following the Battle of Naboo.

“She thinks I could have died, like Master Qui-Gon!” Anakin exclaimed, thankfully still quietly.

Obi-Wan bit his lip, scanning the transcripts. From the article on his own family, the news of the battle had probably spread to Stewjon not long after it happened, but, from the transcripts of Shmi’s pleading, the news hadn’t reached Tatooine until a week ago, after which time she had raised money to contact them. The droid she had been speaking to had refused to release personal information on students to her unless she had proof of kinship, which of course she didn’t have, being a slave. After which time she had been placed on hold and finally hung up on. The report was tagged, “Waiting for reply,” but knowing the programming of bureaucracy droids, the message would probably never make it through the proper channels and in front of an actual Jedi’s eyes, and a reply would probably never be sent.

“We have to tell her I’m alive! She’s gotta be worried sick!”

Almost without his volition, Obi-Wan hacked into the system and managed to mask himself as an actual member of the Coruscant Jedi Temple Help Desk and start a text reply.

“I’ll do it!” Anakin shoved his hands away from the keyboard and began typing his own message. _Hi Mom Im alive and not dead after the battle on naboo it was a really cool and pretty planet and I accidently blew up a droid control ship but I wasn’t supposed to be in the middle of battle dont worry master quigon told me to stay in the cockpit of a ship but it was on autopilot and so I saved the day I guess and so did obiwan hes my master now and Im training to become a jedi its really wizard the classes are fun but I havent made friends yet accept for padme shes a queen not a jedi are you okay is watto being mean I hope hes not being mean we all miss quigon but hes in the force now I dont know what that means but they act like thats comforting I love you and hope youre all right I promise to free you one day as soon as I now how to deactivat transmiters I love you Mom stay safe and drink water and tell C-3PO hi for me obiwan makes me wash my hands do you wash your hands I promise Im alive and didnt die on naboo love Anakin_

“Anakin, punctuation and spelling,” Obi-Wan said. Most of Anakin’s homework wasn’t half this bad.

“I don’t have time for punctuation and spelling. She’s my mother. She’ll know what I mean,” Anakin said.

Obi-Wan sighed. Little boys. He gently pushed Anakin’s hands from the keyboard. “Let me have it now, okay?”

Anakin sighed. “Okay.”

Obi-Wan’s fingers hovered over the keyboard. This was such a mistake. If he was trying to adhere to the Code and be a proper Jedi, he would never do this.

But now that it was written, it would break Anakin’s heart to delete it. Besides, a tiny, rebellious voice deep inside him whispered, “What would Qui-Gon do?”

This time, the voice wasn’t entirely unwelcome. Somehow, he knew exactly what Qui-Gon would do.

 _Mrs. Skywalker, if you would like to speak to Anakin over holo, you can contact my personal comm number listed here._ He typed in his personal comm number.

He could get booted out of the Order for encouraging this attachment, going behind the Council’s back to let Anakin speak with his mother, but he was committed now.

It’s what Qui-Gon would have done.

He glanced down at Anakin. Anakin was gazing up at him with a look in his eyes as if Obi-Wan had hung the stars in the sky.

Obi-Wan restrained a chuckle and sent the message.

There was no going back now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In Legends, Owen Kenobi is at least suspected to be Owen Lars, but I don't buy it. In my story, Owen Kenobi is an actual person. There is very little information on Stewjon, so I made up pretty much everything. In my head, anyway, the government of Stewjon just recently transitioned from a monarchy to a republic, which is why they still have nobles and yet Owen got elected senator. Just in case it wasn't clear, Owen was elected to his planetary legislature, not the Galactic Senate. I also took a bit of liberty with how long it took Watto and Shmi to find out about the Battle of Naboo, and that her comm was an actual call instead of a text message.


	5. Mom

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shmi Skywalker calls.

Anakin was so exhausted from lightsaber practice and learning to swim he was planning on skipping working on the droids in his room and just going to bed. He started for his bedroom door.

“Anakin, don’t forget to take a sanisteam before you go to bed,” Obi-Wan said.

Anakin froze and turned around. He just didn’t understand Obi-Wan’s fascination with water and cleanliness. “Why? Shouldn’t swimming count?”

Obi-Wan sighed. “It’s not the same. You didn’t have soap or a washcloth with you when you swam, now, did you?”

“No, but—”

“No buts, padawan. Sanisteam before bed.” A beep that Anakin had slowly started to recognize as Obi-Wan’s comm filled the room. A beep that he’d been listening intently for the last couple of days.

Obi-Wan activated the comm. A small hologram of his mother appeared.

“Mom!” Anakin bolted to Obi-Wan’s side. “Hi! Are you all right? I missed you so much!”

Mom laughed. “Ani! How are you?”

“I’m fine, Mom. How about you? Are you all right? Is Watto hurting you? Is the work too much? Have the harvests been good?”

Obi-Wan placed a hand on his shoulder. He set the comm down on the living room table and sat down on the couch, pulling Anakin down beside him.

Mom smiled. “I’m fine, Ani. The work is fine. I think Watto misses you. We both do. He gave me money to help contact the Temple and ask about you.”

“Really?” Anakin didn’t want to think anything good about his former master, didn’t think he could ever be a good person.

“You changed him, Ani, with your kind heart,” Mom said.

Anakin wasn’t quite sure he believed it, but if his mother said it happened, he wasn’t going to deny it. At least a decent Watto meant his mother would be safe and happy. “Are you really okay?”

“I really am, I promise. I’m content, Ani, now that I can speak with you.”

Anakin smiled and ducked his head. “I’m glad to see you too, Mom.”

Obi-Wan bent down and whispered in his ear. “Would you like me to leave?”

Anakin thought about it for about a second, then grabbed Obi-Wan’s hand and shook his head. Obi-Wan and Mom just had to meet each other, and since they were brothers, Obi-Wan had to have Mom as his mother too. He clearly needed one. “Stay here.”

Obi-Wan nodded.

“Now, Ani, what’s this about you helping in a battle?”

Anakin squirmed in his seat and spilled out the entire story. He finished with, “But it was an accident, Mom, I promise! I did exactly as Master Qui-Gon said. He tried to keep me safe. It was the ship that was the problem. Artoo couldn’t turn it off autopilot.”

Mom sighed. “Well, I’m just glad you’re all right. You saved a planet!”

Anakin’s face grew hot. “Yeah.”

“I’m proud of you.”

“You’ve gotta meet Obi-Wan, Mom! He’s so cool! He destroyed the Sith, and he promised to train me! Even though some of my teachers say I’m a disruptive influence.”

Mom didn’t smile, but Anakin could tell she wanted to. “I hope you’re not causing trouble for your teachers, Ani.”

“He’s not. I assure you, Mrs. Skywalker, Anakin is working hard in all his classes. Indeed, he has almost completely caught up with his agemates even though he was several years behind. You should be proud of your boy. He is quite bright and very hardworking.”

Obi-Wan, the awesome Jedi, thought _he_ was bright and hardworking? “That’s only because of you, Mom, because you taught me so well.”

Mom smiled big. “Give yourself credit, Ani. You’re doing very well.” She turned to Obi-Wan. “You must be Obi-Wan Kenobi. Qui-Gon Jinn was your teacher?”

Obi-Wan flinched and paused, like he always did whenever someone mentioned Master Qui-Gon. “Yes, ma’am. He taught me since I was a small boy. It…” He took a deep breath. “It isn’t easy, not having him here.”

Anakin wrapped his arms around Obi-Wan. It was something he tried to do every time Obi-Wan got that awful look on his face, like he was reliving the nightmares he had at night or was about to burst into tears. “The Jedi say we shouldn’t mourn him because he’s passed into the Force.” He said it almost accusingly. It was a really stupid thing to say. What did it matter if someone was in the Force? They weren’t here with them. Surely his mom agreed.

“Is that really what they say?” Mom asked.

Obi-Wan shifted. “The Jedi believe that when someone dies, they become part of the Cosmic Force, and that event is to be rejoiced about.”

“And yet, these other Jedi, did they not know Master Jinn before?” Mom asked.

“Yes, he was the friend of many in the Temple,” Obi-Wan said. “If not a sometimes-exasperating friend.”

“What does exasperating mean?” Anakin asked.

“Trying or irritating,” Obi-Wan said.

“Oh.” Anakin nudged Obi-Wan in the side. “You can be exasperating sometimes.”

Obi-Wan laughed. “You too, little one.”

Mom smiled warmly, then shook her smile off her face. “Do these Jedi friends of Master Jinn mourn him?”

Obi-Wan paused. “Well… I’m not sure it would be called mourning. We all… _miss_ Master Qui-Gon.”

“It is possible for something that happens to be an event of rejoicing and mourning at the same time,” Mom said. “Anakin gaining his freedom and leaving to become a Jedi is an occasion to rejoice, and yet I miss him very much when he is not around me, therefore we mourned as well. Can the Jedi deaths not be like that?”

“Yeah,” Anakin said. “Being sad about being sad is just making you sadder.”

Obi-Wan sighed. “I suppose it could be the same. We rejoice that Master Qui-Gon is with the Force and mourn that he is not with us.”

“Do not be ashamed of your grief. It is a natural part of life for all people, even the Jedi,” Mom said.

Anakin peered up at Obi-Wan. He appeared to be blinking back tears. Anakin turned back to the comm and delved into a detailed explanation of everything he’d been learning so far. Anakin wasn’t sure, but he didn’t think Obi-Wan liked to cry or show emotions in front of people.

Anakin concluded his long-winded explanation with, “I haven’t made any friends, though. I miss Kitster and Wald.”

“Well, Anakin, how hard have you tried to make friends? They probably don’t know what to say to you because you’re so different. It’s like that awful podracing. It took you many tries to actually win a race, but you did! Don’t give up on them, Ani. Keep trying. Making friends with Kitster and Wald was easy, but sometimes, friendships can take a lot of work. You’ve got to be willing to put in that work, just as much as you work in your classes.”

Anakin sighed. “But it’s just so hard! They don’t understand anything about me!”

“Then help them understand. If they seem confused about something you say, see if you can help them see it from your perspective. And if something they say confuses you, ask them to help you see it from their perspective.”

“Okay. But what if they’re mean?”

“There are always going to be mean people in life, Ani, everywhere you go. You just have to be the bigger person. Answering them in hate and anger doesn’t take away theirs, it just adds one more hateful and angry person to the galaxy. Remember, two wrongs don’t make a right. Remember what I taught you about standing up for yourself without answering in violence. And remember, if they start being truly hurtful, don’t be afraid to go to the authorities. It’s okay to ask for help.”

“Your mother’s right, Anakin,” Obi-Wan said. “Every Initiate class has its share of bullies. The hard thing is not to respond in kind, but ultimately you’ll be glad you held onto your temper and did not pay them back in revenge. Most bullying behavior stems from insecurities, misunderstandings, and prejudice. Adding your insecurities and anger to theirs only makes it worse.”

Anakin nodded, then yawned. “How’s Threepio, Mom?”

“He’s doing well,” Mom said. “He misses you very much. He’s a wonderful help around the house. Don’t try to distract me, Ani, I can tell you’re tired.”

Obi-Wan patted his shoulder. “Yes, I’m afraid this little one needs to get in bed.”

“No, wait!” Anakin cast around for some way to stall.

“Is that Ani?” a rough, gravelly voice asked. Watto buzzed into the hologram. “Little Ani? Well! A Jedi! Whaddya know!”

Anakin rubbed his eyes. “Hi, Watto.”

“What’s it like being a Jedi? Do they feed you? Do they have lots of water out on Coruscant?”

Anakin nodded. “I was learning to swim today.”

Watto laughed. “That must have been a shock, huh? Whole body of water you can swim in! Not like this miserable dust ball.”

Anakin nodded again. “It was pretty shocking. They bathe all the time here, and they wash their hands before meals.”

“Waste of good water,” Watto grumbled. “Been quiet without you around. Got a couple projects could have used you on.”

Anakin’s instinctive thought was that Watto just wanted to use his free labor, but, given what his mother said, and that “quiet” comment, maybe the bug did care. A little bit. “I’ve been doing some projects here. Fixing some mouse droids.”

Watto chuckled. “Good for you. I’ve got to close up shop. Talk to you later, huh?”

Anakin nodded. “Bye.”

“Goodbye, Ani.” Watto buzzed out of the hologram.

“I should go too,” Mom said. “Let you go to bed. I love you, Ani. I’ll call you two again later, okay?”

“Okay,” Anakin said. “I love you too, Mom.” He got up and walked to his bedroom, the spun around. “Mom, do I have to take a sanisteam before bed? Obi-Wan said I had to, but I already swam in water today.”

Obi-Wan put his head in his hands.

“Anakin.” Mom put her hands on her hips. “You need to listen to Obi-Wan and respect his authority. He knows what he’s talking about.”

Anakin sighed. “Yes, ma’am.”

“Goodnight, sweetie.”

“Goodnight.” He turned to his bedroom door.

“Goodnight, ma’am. Talk to you later.” Obi-Wan deactivated the comm. He looked up at Anakin and smiled. “Go take a sanisteam and get some sleep, young one.”

“Yes, master. Sleep well.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next, Palpatine requests Anakin meet him at his earliest convenience.


	6. And the Penny Drops

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Palpatine asks to meet with Anakin.

Obi-Wan clapped Anakin on the back. “Good job, padawan. You get better at this every day.”

Anakin grinned, flushed, and ran to put his training lightsaber back. At this age, he should already have his own done, but he’d just barely missed the Gathering, and the Council still insisted he wasn’t ready to have Obi-Wan take him to Ilum to build his own.

Obi-Wan disagreed strongly. If only they could see how he had taken to the lightsaber! He possessed a naturalness with the weapon that many masters strove to achieve. Of course, he was still a beginner, but he wasn’t that far behind his agemates now. In fact, Obi-Wan could see the youngling surpassing them soon. He needed his own saber, and Obi-Wan would dearly love to be able to build a new one of his own, instead of using Qui-Gon’s. Every time he saw the green blade in his hands, it hurt a little. Besides the fact that the larger hilt had been built for a larger man skilled in Ataru, and Obi-Wan was smaller and trying to learn Soresu.

Anakin ran back up to him and beamed. He had been so much happier after that first talk with his mother. It had only been a few weeks, but already he was more settled, less rebellious, and had made several new friends. Obi-Wan, and Mrs. Skywalker over subsequent holocalls, had been regaled with tales of his new best friends, Darra Thel-Tanis and Tru Veld, and had to listen to more than one complaint about “awful stuck-up Ferus” who, according to Anakin, idolized the Jedi Code.

“And even Master _Yoda_ thinks it’s wrong in some areas since the Ruusan Reformation, so that’s just _stupid!”_ Anakin had said.

Both Obi-Wan and Mrs. Skywalker had told him to try to be nice anyway. Anakin had grumbled at that.

“Knight Kenobi!” Master Windu called. “May I have a word with you?”

Obi-Wan turned. Master Windu was speed-walking up to him, cape flaring behind him. “Of course, master.” He turned to Anakin. “Go on ahead to our rooms and either start on your homework or take a sanisteam.”

Anakin groaned and pouted up at him.

“Don’t give me that look, padawan, you’re sweaty and filthy. Go on, now.”

Anakin sighed. “Yes, master.” He slowly walked out of the lightsaber arena.

Obi-Wan restrained a grin at the disgruntledness radiating at him through the bond. Honestly, he didn’t understand what that boy’s aversion was to being clean. Most younglings would be upset about the homework, not the sanisteam. Then again, maybe it was some boy thing he’d missed out on. Mrs. Skywalker had told him to just try and ignore it; it was probably just a phase.

He shoved thoughts of Anakin out of his mind and turned to Master Windu. “What is it you wanted to talk to me about, Master Windu?”

Master Windu started for the door. Obi-Wan fell into step behind him. “Chancellor Palpatine just sent the Jedi Temple a message. He wishes to meet with your padawan in his office at his earliest convenience.”

“Anakin? Why?” An uneasy knot grew in the pit of Obi-Wan’s stomach. What could a politician, the chancellor at that, want with his padawan? It had been months since the Battle of Naboo, so he couldn’t want to thank him again for his services. “What does he want?”

“I’m not sure. It concerns me a little that the invitation is only for Anakin and not for you as well,” Master Windu said. “It’s up to you whether you decide to let him accept it or not.”

Obi-Wan nodded vacantly as they left the lightsaber arena and made their way down the halls. His mind conjured up all sorts of nefarious purposes Palpatine could want with his little brother. He could want to sexually abuse him, he could sell him back into slavery, he could physically or emotionally abuse him, he could get him addicted to spice, he could do nefarious medical experiments on him, he could turn him to the Dark Side…

 _Keep your mind on the here and now, padawan._ Qui-Gon’s oft-repeated admonition echoed in his mind. It was usually a reprimand to focus on the Living Force, not the Cosmic Force, but it also stopped his spiraling thoughts. “Yes, I’ll have to think about that. Thank you for telling me. I think I’ll return to my apartment now.”

Master Windu nodded and bowed. Obi-Wan bowed back and made his way to his apartment, still in a daze. Chancellor Palpatine wanted to meet with his soon-to-be-ten-year-old padawan at his earliest convenience? If he needed the Jedi’s help, he’d go to the Council, not Anakin. If he’d wanted to thank him for his service to Naboo, he’d want Obi-Wan as well, since they both did just as much for the planet, and Palpatine would most likely have commed earlier. Given that he was a politician and therefore guaranteed to be a snake in the grass, he probably didn’t just want to be a kind old grandfather to a poor slave boy. In fact, if Palpatine had a kind old grandfather bone in his body, Obi-Wan would eat his cloak.

He opened the door to their apartment. Anakin was curled up on the couch, still sweaty, with a datapad in his lap. Of course. He’d chosen homework over a sanisteam.

“What did Master Windu want?”

Obi-Wan sat down in a chair set opposite the couch for any visitors, should they ever have any. “Apparently, Chancellor Palpatine wishes to speak with you at your earliest convenience.”

Anakin screwed up his face. “Why?”

Obi-Wan shrugged. “He didn’t say.”

“Will you come with me?” Anakin asked.

Anakin assumed he was going. That sent even more apprehension through Obi-Wan. It seemed as if the Force itself was screaming _Danger!_ at him the same way it had… on the Trade Federation droid control ship.

At the beginning of the mission he’d lost Master Qui-Gon on.

A lump grew in Obi-Wan’s throat. _“Follow your instinct, your feelings. Lead you well, they will.”_

“You’re not going.”

“What?” Anakin burst out. He was silent for a while. “Can you…do that?”

“You are my padawan. I am your guardian. I can decide what’s best for you and what’s not. And I have a really bad feeling about this. The same…” His voice trailed off. He swallowed hard.

Anakin poked at his datapad. “The same what?”

Obi-Wan took a deep breath and took the plunge. When he was a padawan, all he’d wanted was information on how his master was thinking. “The same bad feeling I had at the beginning of my last mission as a padawan.”

“And Master Qui-Gon died.” Anakin’s voice was small. He was hunched in on himself and cradling the datapad. “Don’t worry, I won’t go to Mister Palpatine. I don’t wanna die and make you sad like Master Qui-Gon did.”

The Force settled somewhat. Yes, this was the right decision. Less danger. “Good, padawan.” Obi-Wan stroked his newly-trimmed beard. “That’s good.”

“How…how did the Mandalorian Wars lead to the rise of Darth Revan and Darth Malak?” Anakin asked hesitantly.

“What?” Obi-Wan glanced up, startled.

“I’m supposed to write an essay about it.”

Obi-Wan rose from his chair and sat down next to Anakin. He leaned back and stroked his beard again. “Let’s see, where to start?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next: Palpatine doesn't give up easily.


	7. Careful, Careful

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Palpatine tries again to get access to Anakin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's been a while since I last updated, so here's an extra-long chapter to make up for it.

“The chancellor sent us another message,” Mace Windu said.

Obi-Wan startled out of his meditation and glanced over at the man sitting next to him. “When did you get here?”

“Just now,” Master Windu remarked drily.

“I’m meditating,” Anakin whispered quietly. “I’m meditating.”

Obi-Wan tried not to burst into peals of laughter. Anakin struggled with meditation. Specifically, he struggled with the sitting still part of meditation. According to Mrs. Skywalker, he’d never sat still, even as an unborn baby. “Anakin, do you think you’d meditate better while running in place?”

“Yes,” Anakin said immediately. He got to his feet and began to run in circles around Obi-Wan and Mace.

It wasn’t exactly running in place, but perhaps Anakin wanted to feel like he was going somewhere. Obi-Wan felt Anakin sink into a deeper meditation than he’d been able to reach any time he was trying to sit still.

He turned back to Master Windu. “Did you say something about the chancellor? Did he respond to our respectful declination?”

“Yes.” Master Windu stroked his chin. “He responded with a message strongly urging you to reconsider. Apparently, he wants to make sure Anakin has adjusted to Jedi life. He said that he really feels a connection with him and wants to comfort him given his…” Mace glanced at Anakin. “Childhood circumstances.”

Chancellor Palpatine was “strongly urging” Obi-Wan to reconsider his decision because he wanted to…comfort Anakin given his former slave status? That was all, to use a term of Anakin’s, a load of bantha poodoo. What kind of “connection” had he felt with his young padawan? What form would this “comfort” be taking? “I find it disturbing that he is pressing for a meeting with such a supposedly innocuous purpose.”

“Yes,” Mace said musingly. “It is somewhat strange. The Jedi do not lend out their students to be mentored by politicians.”

“And he’s only met Anakin once, maybe twice. Certainly very few times. Not long enough to develop a genuine connection with him. If his purpose was truly benign, surely he would graciously accept my declination of his invitation. The Jedi, especially Jedi minors, are not at the beck and call of the chancellor. He cannot expect his request to be an order.”

“It is suspicious,” Master Windu admitted. “How much do we truly know about our new chancellor?”

“He is from Naboo,” Obi-Wan said. “He certainly profited from his planet’s misery. I may not know much about politics, but I had not heard much about Senator Palpatine before our mission. Bail Antilles, however, has gained a reputation for fighting corruption in the Senate even in non-political circles. Without the blockade on Naboo, I do not believe Palpatine would have been able to win the chancellorship. Many of the votes for him were undoubtedly sympathy votes. And of course, we know he is a politician, and politicians are not to be trusted.”

“Indeed,” Master Windu said. “It is indeed a fortuitous turn of events for him. But what purpose could he have in mentoring a random Jedi padawan?”

“Not random,” Obi-Wan pointed out. “He is the Chosen One, prophesied to bring balance to the Force. He also destroyed the droid control ship above Naboo. Perhaps he thinks mentoring a former slave boy or the boy that helped save Naboo will help him look good with voters.”

“Perhaps.”

They both watched Anakin run circles around them. The peace he was exuding calmed the entire clearing in the Room of a Thousand Fountains they were occupying.

“He is indeed a unique child,” Mace remarked. “The chancellor couldn’t be interested in him because he could be the Chosen One.”

“Could he?” Obi-Wan didn’t know what made him say it, but he trusted Palpatine about as far as he could throw him. Which, given Jedi weren’t supposed to go around randomly throwing politicians, wasn’t very far at all.

He and Mace stared at each other, disquiet rising between them.

“Perhaps we should update our knowledge on our new chancellor,” Mace said.

“Perhaps we should,” Obi-Wan agreed.

Once Anakin had gone to his classes the next day, Obi-Wan and Mace headed straight for the Temple archives. Mace decided to research more current news about Palpatine, and Obi-Wan tried to research his early life.

It wasn’t long before he found things to concern him. Though it appeared Palpatine or his family had tried covering things up, nothing can be truly hidden in the world of politics. There are always opponents able to dig up the most miniscule of crimes.

Apparently, Sheev Palpatine had attended very prestigious schools. Many prestigious schools. It appeared he had been kicked out of many schools, sometimes for general juvenile delinquency, sometimes for vague possible crimes that for some reason were never investigated.

Well. Obi-Wan had an idea as to why the crimes were never investigated.

The young Palpatine had shown a tendency for racing and reckless flying. He was implicated but never charged in the deaths of two innocent bystanders following a speeder accident. Afterwards, he flew in a few competitive races and did very well.

That alone decided Obi-Wan. Anakin had no business being around such a reckless flyer with such little regard for people’s lives. Anakin was already bound to have some reckless tendencies due to his history as a podracer. He didn’t need to be around someone so bold and reckless at flying he could kill bystanders and just get away with it. Palpatine would be a terribly bad influence if the two ever went flying together.

Then he came across a story that made his blood run cold. Palpatine’s entire family, including the security guards, had been murdered when Palpatine was only sixteen. Autopsies were inconclusive, no traces of a murder weapon were ever found, and reports varied on whether or not Palpatine was there at the time. The investigation was closed under mysterious circumstances. Later political opponents accused Palpatine of covering it up, and he lost several elections early in his career because he was implicated in his family’s deaths. Reports from people who knew House Palpatine that were buried and dug up by political opponents stated that as a young boy and teenager Sheev Palpatine had a rocky and sometimes outright violent relationship with his father Cosinga. The two clashed on everything, and the man even supposedly violently opposed his son’s short-lived racing career.

There was no proof Palpatine had anything to do with it, but all around him, a warning voice whispered the truth. Palpatine had killed his entire family.

“Master Windu, look at this,” Obi-Wan said. He directed the master’s gaze to the various news stories he had found.

Mace said nothing as he read them all. “Very suspicious,” he said as he finished. “I don’t trust him. His mentor in the Senate was assassinated. The man’s son was a Jedi knight and caught the assassin, who committed suicide before being questioned. It was never revealed who hired the assassin, but the death enabled Palpatine to be elected senator in Senator Kim’s place.”

“So we’ve found a man who has a covered-up history of crimes and delinquency, implications in the suspicious deaths of several different people close to him, and has benefited multiple times from horrible things in his home sector,” Obi-Wan said. He was so glad he hadn’t allowed Anakin to meet with this man.

“And we have a man insistent on meeting with the possible Chosen One and a missing Sith master or apprentice. He sent another message today, by the way, urging you to reconsider again. He claims he has a lot to offer a child and a different perspective the Jedi would never be able to offer a child,” Mace said.

Obi-Wan’s heart thudded. The Force had been whispering to him and was getting ever louder. _Danger. Danger. Danger. Danger. Danger!_ “I don’t want Anakin around him. Ever. This man should be in jail, not in the highest office in the land.”

“All we have is speculation,” Mace said. “Not anything we could take to the authorities. I think the Jedi had better keep a closer eye on Chancellor Palpatine. And don’t let Skywalker anywhere near him. He is an impressionable young boy. Who knows what the man could do to him?”

Obi-Wan struggled for breath. He was expecting a sleazy politician or a sexual predator, not a possible serial killer or mass murderer. Call him sheltered, but he didn’t think killing people was fairly normal in the corrupt politician world. “Don’t worry. I won’t. That man won’t get his hands on my padawan.”

Anakin shifted on his bed uneasily. Obi-Wan and his mother had been talking together about “something grown-up” for a while, and he hadn’t been allowed in the room. His curiosity was killing him, but Obi-Wan’s warning about Temple protocols keeping him from being scarred for life kept him from listening in on the conversation. If they were talking about the horrible things Sith liked to do, he didn’t want to know about it. Plus, Obi-Wan needed some time alone with his mother to bond with her.

“Anakin!” Obi-Wan called. “Can you come in here?”

Finally. Anakin slid off his bed and walked back into their shared living space. Obi-Wan was leaning forward in his seat on the couch, and Mom was on the table in her holo. Both looked very serious.

“What’s wrong?” Anakin asked. Had he done something wrong? Was Anakin being sent back to Tatooine? Was his mom being abused?

“Come here, Ani,” Mom said.

Anakin sat down next to Obi-Wan and positioned himself so he was kind of facing both him and Mom. He folded his hands together and bounced his foot. “What’s wrong? Did I do something wrong?”

“No, dear, but we have something very important to tell you,” Mom said. She nodded her head at Obi-Wan.

Obi-Wan folded his own hands together and took a deep breath. “Chancellor Palpatine requested again that he meet with you. His persistence seemed odd to Master Windu and I, so we decided to investigate Chancellor Palpatine. Anakin…” Obi-Wan trailed off and looked to Mom almost helplessly.

Anakin’s stomach churned. “Mom?”

“When the chancellor was a teenager, he committed several crimes that were never brought to court,” Mom said.

“He was a racer,” Obi-Wan said. “A reckless one. Much more reckless than you. His father was against his racing career, and, according to those who knew the family well, the two clashed, sometimes violently about his chosen career. Nevertheless, when Palpatine’s reckless flying caused the deaths of two pedestrians, the incident was never fully investigated and Palpatine was never charged. When he was sixteen, his entire family was murdered, and no one was ever able to figure out how or why. Reports conflict as to whether or not Palpatine was present at the scene of the murder, but he was definitely on the list of suspects. However, several involved in the investigation died, and the case was closed without ever being solved. Afterwards, Palpatine got involved in politics. One of his mentors was the Naboo senator, who was assassinated by a hired assassin who killed himself before the Jedi could find out who hired him. Palpatine took his place in the Senate. Several of his political opponents have mysteriously disappeared or died. We do not have enough proof to charge him with anything, but, given the man’s strange interest in you, we felt it prudent that we warn you what sort of man he is.”

“Anakin, I beg you, be wary of this man,” Mom said. “Do not let yourself be alone with him. Do not trust anything he says. Men like him are very skilled at lying and making the truth into a lie. I do not want to frighten you unnecessarily, but this man’s interest in you bothers me. Do not accept any offer to meet with him when you will not be in public. It doesn’t matter that he is the chancellor; you can still say no to anything he tries to make you do.”

Anakin started to shake. “What does he want with me?”

“I don’t know,” Obi-Wan said. He put an arm around him. “As your mother said, I don’t wish to frighten you without reason, but we tell you this to help you understand how serious this is and how dangerous the chancellor could be. I promise I will do my best to protect you, but you must also protect yourself in using wisdom to keep yourself from willingly walking into dangerous situations. Remember, Anakin, prudence is the better part of valor.”

“But…I’m a Jedi. Aren’t I supposed to fight stuff like this?”

“You’re just a little boy,” Mom said.

“Your mother’s right,” Obi-Wan said. “And even fully-grown Jedi can make mistakes and accidentally walk into situations they can’t handle. There is more we don’t know about Palpatine than we do. Until we know more of the risks, we cannot properly prepare to fight them, and you could be surprised by something and hurt badly or even killed. Besides, the Jedi’s greatest strength is in each other. We fight together, as one body, against injustice and for peace and freedom. That is how we triumphed over the Sith. If you let Palpatine draw you off by yourself, that could be your destruction. Please, listen to us. Be wary. Do not act foolishly and do not listen to anything Palpatine has to say. Promise me, padawan.”

Anakin curled his hands into fists, hoping to stop his shaking. He didn’t want to just run and hide from every fight, but he didn’t really want to spend time around a murderer who liked him for some strange reason, either. He still wasn’t that great at lightsaber fighting or deflecting blasters, though he could probably beat most of the kids in his class. He didn’t feel ready to face an assassin yet. “I’ll be careful. I’ll stay away from him. I promise.”

“Good.” Obi-Wan pulled him close.

“You stay safe, Ani,” Mom said.

Anakin laughed. “What if his last name is something really weird and that’s why he never tells anyone?”

“Something like Sith?” Tru suggested.

“Or Darth?” Anakin said.

The two burst into laughter as they walked down the Temple halls to their next class.

“Guys, it’s probably nothing like that,” Darra said. “It’s probably Yoda Man.”

Anakin and Tru laughed.

“Like, You da Man? Hey, Grandmaster! Yoda Man!” Anakin pretended to gesture at an imaginary Yoda.

“I don’t think we should be talking about this,” Ferus said.

“Oh, lighten up, Ferus,” Darra said. “What do you think Master Yoda’s last name is?”

“What if Yoda’s his last name?” Tru suggested.

“Anakin, I’ve been looking for you.”

Anakin jumped. Chancellor Palpatine was standing in the corridor in front of them. He froze, his heart pounding hard. Obi-Wan’s and Mom’s warnings about him echoed in his head.

“May I talk to you alone?” Palpatine asked.

“No,” Anakin said promptly. His mom had said not to meet with him alone, and, now that he was facing the man, he agreed with her. He grabbed Tru’s wrist. “Why don’t you talk to me and Tru?”

“I’m afraid what I have to say to you is for your ears alone,” Palpatine said.

“I’m not supposed to be alone with strangers,” Anakin said.

“Anakin, maybe you should listen to him,” Ferus said uneasily. “He is the chancellor.”

“Shut up, Ferus,” Anakin said. “Chancellor, I’m not going to speak to you alone. You can speak to me and my friends, or not at all.”

“I don’t think you should be talking to me like that,” Ferus said.

“Ferus, now may not be the—” Darra started.

Anakin spun. Stuck-up Ferus couldn’t let his ego go for one second and recognize the danger? Well, maybe he could use his goody-goody nature for good this time. “Why don’t you report me then? Go tell my master I’m being rude to you and the chancellor.”

Ferus shifted uneasily. He may be stuck-up, but he still didn’t like being a tattletale. No kid did.

“Go on!” Anakin said.

Ferus turned and ran off.

Anakin let out a sigh and turned back around. Hopefully, Ferus found Obi-Wan quickly. He’d come and rescue him from the chancellor as soon as he heard.

“Anakin, my boy, perhaps you’re being a bit unreasonable. I am the chancellor of the Republic. You have nothing to fear from me,” Palpatine said soothingly.

Yeah, well, Anakin wasn’t buying it. “I bet that’s what your family thought, too, isn’t it?”

Palpatine’s smile melted into a frown.

“I bet your father thought good little Sheev would never do anything to hurt him, didn’t he? You really showed him.”

Palpatine’s hands curled into fists, though they were mostly hidden by his overly-long elaborate robes. His eyes flashed for half a second before they returned to normal. “Anakin, I haven’t the slightest idea what you are talking about. Someone is telling you vicious lies about me. Such a shame, too. I had been about to invite you to come to a popular swoop race with me. I received complementary tickets as a perk of my office, and I know how much you enjoy racing, so I was going to ask you to come with me, but it seems you have been far too swayed by the vicious lies of my opponents to be comfortable going with me. Really a shame. I’m going to visit a private reception to meet Bwtrio Vnuqip and Ogaewi Xydr, and I know that’s something you’d enjoy. Perhaps you could reconsider speaking alone with me?”

Bwtrio Vnuqip and Ogaewi Xydr? They were the biggest, most talented racers in the galaxy. Anakin had been dying to meet them and race them ever since he’d heard about them. Did he really have tickets to go meet them? And he’d thought about Anakin when he’d gotten them?

No! His mother had told him he’d lie to him and not to go anywhere with him. But she had said _public_ places were okay, and a swoop race would be public. And how many times would Anakin get the chance to go to a swoop race and meet Bwtrio Vnuqip and Ogaewi Xydr?

“He’ll have to ask his master about that,” Tru broke in. “He’s a padawan, and he has obligations.”

“And we’re gonna be late for our next class. So if you’ll excuse us, chancellor, Anakin will have to talk with you another time. We have prior obligations.” Darra bowed to the chancellor, grabbed Anakin’s other arm, and dragged him around Palpatine to hurry down the hall.

Tru leaned into his ear. “Why would the chancellor of the Republic chase you down to offer you spare swoop bike tickets?”

Anakin shrugged. “Do you think he really has them?”

Darra shrugged. “Does it matter? That was weird. And what was that you were saying about his father?”

Anakin turned. Palpatine was staring, almost glaring after him. Behind him Obi-Wan was running up to him, robe flaring. Palpatine took a step in Anakin’s direction, but Obi-Wan grabbed his shoulder and said something to him. Palpatine turned his burning gaze to Obi-Wan and spoke back.

Anakin turned back around. “It doesn’t matter. Come on, we’re going to be late.”


	8. And Now I'm All Alone

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Obi-Wan takes a couple emotional punches.

Obi-Wan strolled through the hall toward the cafeteria, his stomach growling. Raised voices penetrated through the usual peacefulness of the Temple halls that weren’t right near the creche. Both voices were familiar to him, one as familiar as his own.

Siri and Adi Gallia.

He hurried around the corner of the hall. A crowd was gathered in the doorway to the mess hall. He got as close as he could without pushing through other Jedi. His heart pounded against his chest.

“You don’t think I would make a good Jedi!” Siri shouted.

“You are misconstruing my words, my young padawan. I don’t think you would be a good fit for the Jedi _right now_. You still have the chance to grow and change and become able to pass the trials,” Adi Gallia said calmly.

A knot grew in Obi-Wan’s stomach. How could Master Adi think Siri was not ready? She would make a wonderful Jedi. She was more ready than he was.

“You’ve never looked at me the same since I was sixteen! If I knew you were going to treat me like this, I would have left then!” Siri yelled. “I should have left then. You’re never going to recommend me for the trials because of what happened, are you?”

A stake drove into Obi-Wan’s heart. He began pushing his way through the crowd of Jedi. He couldn’t let them fight because of him. Their love wasn’t something to be ashamed of. He should be able to shout it from the rooftops. It shouldn’t hold either of them back from fulfilling their dreams, their purpose.

“Given that you have not shown a change in your feelings since then, I do not feel I am unjustified in not recommending you until you grow past what happened then,” Master Adi said.

Not changed. Siri still loved him. Obi-Wan tried to squash the part of his heart that began to soar at those words, but he couldn’t. He squeezed through the last of the crowd to see Siri and Master Adi facing off against each other. Siri was red in the face, her hands balled into fists. Master Adi had her arms crossed and her jaw was firm.

“You ruined my life! I never should have listened to you!” Siri shouted. “You insult me constantly, you disparage me in front of the Council, and you hold an outdated part of the Code over my head as if it’s unnatural for me to have feelings! I’m done! Done with you, done with the Jedi, done with everything.”

No. No, no, no. Obi-Wan tried to speak, to intervene, but his voice had fled from him.

“Padawan—” Master Adi started.

Siri drew her lightsaber and ignited it. She grabbed her padawan braid, holding it away from her face.

“Siri,” Obi-Wan managed to whimper.

With a quick slash, the braid fell from her head. Siri flung the burnt braid at Adi and spat, “I am _not_ your padawan.”

She pushed through the crowd, stalking away.

Obi-Wan stared at the scene for a few seconds before finding his strength. He bolted after her, catching up in a deserted part of the hall. He caught her arm. “Siri. Siri, wait.”

She turned, reaching up to wipe at her eye. “Obi-Wan?”

“Please, don’t leave because of me. Don’t leave at all. When I left the Jedi, it was the worst mistake of my life, and you hated me for it. You’ll hate yourself if you leave with all this bitterness in the air. All you’ve ever wanted is to be a Jedi. Please, don’t leave now. I…I…” Obi-Wan swallowed down the next words. _I need you._

“Obi-Wan, I…” Siri winced. “I can’t just… It’s already done. I’ve already left. I can’t just…” She shook her head. “I can’t do this anymore. It’s not just you, what…happened with us. She just doesn’t respect me. It’s…it’s everything, Obi-Wan. This was always going to happen. I just need some time away from this.”

“But…but…” Obi-Wan swallowed hard, trying to catch a breath. “Siri, I…if you’re determined to do this, then let me come with you. We can have the life we’ve always wanted. We can be together, forever.” He grabbed her hands, enveloped them in his. He didn’t know what he would do if she left him. “Please.”

Tears glittered in Siri’s eyes. She shook her head. “I can’t. We…can’t.” Her face crumpled. “You’ll understand one day.” She pulled away from him and turned to leave.

“But this is everything we’ve ever wanted. All we’ve ever wanted is each other. Siri, please, if you’re leaving, don’t leave me behind.” The words just spilled out of the gaping wound in Obi-Wan’s heart. “I can’t lose anyone else.”

Siri pressed her hands to her face. A sob escaped her. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.” She ran off, disappearing into the halls of the Temple.

Obi-Wan stood frozen, unable to process what had just happened. A tear rolled down his cheek.

A small body crashed into him. He stumbled back a step and looked down.

A dark-haired initiate drew back and gazed up at him. Stuck-up Ferus. Wasn’t he supposed to be in class?

“Master Kenobi!” Ferus panted for breath. “Anakin’s being rude to the chancellor, and he told me to shut up.”

The words took a while to process. “The chancellor? In the Temple?”

Ferus nodded. “He wants to talk to him alone and Anakin keeps saying no.”

Obi-Wan’s heart pounded. Not this, not now. He couldn’t lose everyone at once. “Where?”

Ferus pointed. Obi-Wan bolted in the direction he pointed. Not far down the hall, he drew into the classrooms area. And there was Palpatine, the Sithspawn trying to steal his padawan. He started after Anakin, who was down the hall.

Obi-Wan caught his arm and turned him around. “What in all the nine Corellian hells do you think you’re doing, Chancellor?”

Palpatine turned, a look of venom on his face melting into a kindly smile. “I was simply trying to offer your padawan an extra ticket to a swoop bike race I was given. I believed he might enjoy it.”

Obi-Wan struggled to draw in a breath. “Anakin wouldn’t go with you if you were the last person on Coruscant. He won’t ever be going anywhere with you, so you might as well get it out of your head now. Your scheme has failed, Chancellor, so you might as well get it in your head now that you need to get your hands off my padawan. You are a lying, scheming, conniving murderer, and I’ll die before I see my padawan go anywhere with you. In fact, you aren’t even supposed to be in the Temple without an invitation, and I know you didn’t get one, so I’ll thank you to leave now, before I call the Jedi sentinels to escort you out.”

“I hardly believe that’s necessary,” Palpatine started.

Obi-Wan laid a hand on his lightsaber. “Now, Chancellor.”

Palpatine sighed. “Very well, if that’s the way you feel, I won’t trouble you any further. Good day, Master Jedi.” He bowed to him and walked away.

Obi-Wan stalked after him until he saw him tromping down the Temple steps. He turned, made his way to his apartment, threw himself on his bed, and burst into gut-wrenching sobs.

When Anakin got back from classes, the apartment was quiet, but he could feel the muted presence of Obi-Wan. He made himself a sandwich and worked on his homework in the living room, but Obi-Wan didn’t come out. Finally, he got himself ready for bed and checked in Obi-Wan’s bedroom.

Obi-Wan was lying on top of the covers, still in his robes, cloak, and boots, strangling a pillow while also resting his head on it.

Anakin snuck forward. It was a lot easier to be quiet in Obi-Wan’s room than in his, mostly because Obi-Wan’s floor wasn’t littered with mechanical parts.

Obi-Wan was asleep, and his cheeks were stained with tears.

Anakin blinked. This couldn’t be just because of him. It had to be whatever rumor he had barely overheard coming out of his last class about Siri, Obi-Wan’s love. He swallowed. He’d have to ask around about the rumor if Obi-Wan wasn’t willing to tell him in the morning. He pulled Obi-Wan’s boots off, slowly worked the covers out from under him, and pulled them over him.

“Sleep well, Obi-Wan,” he said. He snuck back to his room and went to bed.

A cry woke Anakin. He started and sat up in bed.

“No, no! Come back! Don’t leave me! Master, I’m sorry!” The cries were more pained and more pathetic than usual. Anakin slipped out of his bed and ran to Obi-Wan.

Obi-Wan had turned onto his back sometime during the night and was tossing and turning. Pain twisted his face, but his eyes were still closing. “Come back! Don’t leave me! Don’t leave me here alone!”

Obi-Wan’s agony radiated into the Force, piercing Anakin’s brain. He winced. He couldn’t leave him like this, but whenever he tried to wake him up during nightmares, it usually didn’t work.

He climbed on the bed and put his hand on Obi-Wan’s forehead. Sometimes, when Anakin was upset or worried or having nightmares of his own, Obi-Wan would reach through the bond and send comfort to him, warmth or security or happiness.

Anakin reached through the bond, calling up a memory of when he was very sick and his mother stroked his brow and sang to him.

The bond, the anguish and the pain screaming into it, sucked him in. Suddenly, Anakin wasn’t sitting on Obi-Wan’s bed anymore.

He was in the middle of a war-torn city. Some of the buildings around him were reduced to rubble. He was a Jedi, dressed in the robes and brandishing a lightsaber. All around him were children, some of whom he knew. Two of them were his friends, Nield and Cerasi. In the air, starfighters flew by, firing, and they were firing on the children. A girl, younger than him, dove out of the way. A boy was hit in the leg and fell. Another child dragged him to what safety they could reach. He had to stop this!

Nield turned to him. “We need your starship. We have to fight them in the air. With your skills, we can shoot them down, just like we hit those deflection towers.”

Anguish shot through Anakin, though he wasn’t sure why. “You said you would not ask me to go against Qui-Gon’s orders again.”

The girl, Cerasi, spoke, crying. “But everything’s changed, Obi-Wan. Look around you. Children are dying. We’ll lose everything if we can’t fight them from the air. Please.”

Anakin—or was he Obi-Wan? With all the confusion, he wasn’t quite sure—turned and took off running. He reached a spaceship and Master Qui-Gon was there, removing branches from it.

“I’m not here to go with you,” Anakin/Obi-Wan said. “I came for the starfighter.”

“Tahl is aboard,” Qui-Gon said. “I am taking her to Coruscant.”

“I’ll bring the ship back,” Anakin/Obi-Wan tried. “I need it now. If you could wait here—”

“No,” Qui-Gon said angrily. “No, Padawan. I will not make your betrayal easy for you. If you try to take this step, know what a hard one it is.”

Anakin/Obi-Wan reached for his lightsaber and activated it. Qui-Gon activated his as well. Anakin/Obi-Wan couldn’t make himself attack him. He deactivated his lightsaber, and Qui-Gon did as well.

“You must choose, Obi-Wan,” Qui-Gon told him quietly. “You can go with me now, or stay. Know that if you stay, you are no longer a Jedi.”

Anakin/Obi-Wan didn’t want to leave the Jedi. But he couldn’t leave and let children die. He tried to say something to convince Qui-Gon, but nothing would come out. He knew nothing would convince him. He’d already tried to argue with him, but Qui-Gon hadn’t budged.

“I have found something here more important than the Jedi code,” Anakin/Obi-Wan said slowly. “Something not only worth fighting for, but worth dying for. He handed his lightsaber to Qui-Gon. “You may go, Qui-Gon Jinn. But I will stay.”

At first, the battle was theirs. But then the kids began fighting each other. Nield fought him viciously. Everyone turned on everyone and his friend, Cerasi, was shot in the crossfire and died in his arms. Nield became just like all the others, fighting and killing people. He turned on Obi-Wan.

“What are you doing here, Obi-Wan Kenobi?” Nield asked, disgust choking his voice. “You aren’t part of the Young. You never were. You’re not Melida. You’re not Daan. You’re nobody, you’re nowhere, and you are nothing to me. Now get out of my sight . . . and get off my planet.”

Obi-Wan cried for Qui-Gon to come and welcome him back. But it wasn’t Qui-Gon that saved him. It was Yoda. Yoda was the one that listened to him. Yoda was the one that cared about him. It was Yoda that made Qui-Gon come back, the Council that let him back into the Order. But Qui-Gon never came back to Obi-Wan. Not truly. He had never cared about Obi-Wan. He left him on Bandomeer, he left him on Melida/Daan, and he left him on Coruscant, in front of everyone. The man who was supposed to be his father left him again and again and again.

Maybe it was just Qui-Gon. Maybe that was just the way he was. He had tried so hard to be good enough for him, but he never was.

Siri stormed away from him. “I’m done! Done with you, done with the Jedi, done with everything.”

Obi-Wan tried to argue with her, bring her back to him. “If you’re determined to do this, then let me come with you. We can have the life we’ve always wanted. We can be together, forever.”

Siri shook her head. “I can’t. We…can’t.”

“Siri, please, don’t leave me behind.”

“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.” And she walked away, leaving him behind.

It was him. It had to be him. _He_ was the one making people leave him.

Then he was looking at Anakin, all grown up. “Anakin, you don’t have to do this!” Obi-Wan pleaded. “You don’t have to leave!”

Anakin shook his head and dropped his lightsaber in Obi-Wan’s outstretched hand. “Palpatine is my friend. Palpatine is my family. Not you. Never you. How could I ever want to be around a person like you?”

Anakin was back in his own body, on Obi-Wan’s bed, his hand still on Obi-Wan’s forehead. But Obi-Wan’s eyes were open, staring into his, and streaming with tears.

Anakin burst into tears. He collapsed on Obi-Wan, giving him the biggest hug he could muster. “I’ll never leave you. It’s not you, Obi-Wan. Qui-Gon’s a jerk, and Siri doesn’t know what she’s missing. It’s not you. I love you, Yoda loves you, your friends Bant and Garen love you, my mom loves you, your brother Owen loves you, and I bet your parents do too. It’s not you, Obi-Wan. You didn’t do anything wrong.”

An arm slowly encircled him. “Anakin?” Obi-Wan asked slowly.

Anakin choked back sobs. “Yeah?”

“You’re here?”

“I’m here,” Anakin said. “I’ll always be here.”

“Good,” Obi-Wan said quietly. His arm tightened around Anakin. “Good.”


	9. When in Doubt, Call Mom

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Obi-Wan cries and Anakin freaks out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry I've been gone so long, but I got stuck for a while and wrote some other projects. But I'm back with another chapter!

“Anakin?”

Anakin slowly woke up and pushed himself off of Obi-Wan’s chest.

“What are you doing here?” Obi-Wan asked.

Anakin sat on the side of the bed and crossed his legs. “Do you remember last night?”

Obi-Wan frowned and started to shake his head, but then his face paled. He sat up and started to shake. “Did you… were you…”

“I saw your dreams,” Anakin admitted. He dug his toe into the covers of the bed. “I was trying to make you sleep better, but I didn’t.”

Obi-Wan said nothing, just stared at his legs under the covers.

Anakin wiped sweaty palms on his sleep pants. “Are…you all right?”

Obi-Wan’s face crumpled and he burst into tears. He buried his face in his hands and began to sob.

Anakin’s heart thudded. He didn’t know what to do! Yes, Obi-Wan was his big brother, but he was a grownup, and grownups weren’t supposed to cry. What were you supposed to do when a grownup cried?

Anakin slowly slid off the bed and snatched Obi-Wan’s comm from his nightstand. He slipped into the living room and dialed his mom.

Watto appeared in the comm. “What is it, Skywalker? You know, your mother does have things to do right now. If it’s not important, you should call back later, eh?”

“It’s an emergency,” Anakin said.

“Eh, all right, all right, don’t know what she could do for a Jedi emergency, but here she is. Shmi! Your son’s on the comm! It’s an emergency!”

Mom appeared in the comm almost instantly. “Ani, what is it, what’s wrong?”

“It’s Obi-Wan, Mom. He had a bad dream, and I tried to comfort him with the Force, but I saw his dream instead, and I think Master Qui-Gon abandoned him in a warzone because he didn’t want kids to die, and then Siri, they love each other, her and Obi-Wan, she left the Order and wouldn’t let him come with her, and he had a dream I left him too for Palpatine, and now he’s woken up and when I told him I saw his dream, he just started crying, and I don’t know what to do.”

Mom was just silent for a few minutes. Obi-Wan’s sobs got louder. Anakin glanced uneasily towards the room. “Please hurry, it’s getting worse.”

“Therapy!” Watto called.

Mom glanced over her shoulder, then turned back to the comm. “That’s…not a terrible idea. But you need to do something right now, don’t you?”

Anakin nodded. “He needs a mom, but you’re not his real mom.”

“Then why don’t you comm his real mom?” Mom asked.

Anakin drew in a breath. Not a bad idea. “Okay, thanks, Mom!” He turned off the comm and ran to the datapad on the kitchen counter with a Holonet connection. He knew Obi-Wan had told him no more slicing into Temple records, but this was an emergency.

It took him longer than he would have liked, but he made it into Obi-Wan’s records. The sobs from his bedroom didn’t stop. Anakin squirmed uneasily and scoured the records. Obi-Wan Kenobi, born year 943 after the Ruusan Reformation, species human, home planet Stewjon, parents Dr. Orron Kenobi and Countess Nayru Nbep Kenobi. Countess. Wow. Anakin selected the countess and prayed that the information he needed would be there.

Countess Nayru Nbep Kenobi, mother of Jedi Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi, comm number—comm number! Anakin punched the number into the comm and dialed.

After half a minute of waiting, a finely-dressed brunette woman appeared in the hologram. “This is Countess Nayru Kenobi, how may I help you?”

Anakin curled his toes up and squashed down the instinctive fear that rose up in him at such high authority. He wasn’t a slave anymore, he was a Jedi. He could do this. “Ma’am, I’m Anakin Skywalker, I know your son, Obi-Wan?”

“Obi-Wan? Obi-Wan Kenobi? Can I speak with him? Is he all right? How’s he been?” The countess leaned forward eagerly.

“Uh…not exactly. He’s not all right. He’s really sad because his Jedi master died and he was like his father, and he abandoned him in a warzone when he was thirteen and made him leave the Jedi ‘cause he wanted to save some kids, and the other Jedi had to make Master Jinn take Obi-Wan back I think, and the girl he loves just left the Order and wouldn’t let him come with her, and now he’s afraid I’m gonna leave him too, and I accidentally saw his dream about all that that happened ‘cause of the Force, it’s a Jedi thing, and now he’s crying and he won’t stop and I don’t know what to do, so I commed you ‘cause you’re his mom, and when I’m upset, my mom always makes me feel better.”

Countess Kenobi put her hand over her mouth. “Oh, my. My poor baby. Thank you so much for calling me, Anakin, was it?”

Anakin nodded.

The countess turned and hollered over her shoulder to someone off-comm. “Honey, get the ship ready, we’re going to Coruscant!”

“What? Why?” a male voice asked.

“To go see Obi-Wan,” the countess said.

“But the Jedi said you’re not supposed to see your child after they join the Jedi,” the man said.

“Screw the Jedi, our son’s in pain!” The countess turned back to Anakin. “Can you take the comm to Obi-Wan?”

“Yeah, hold on.” Anakin scooped up the comm from the counter and walked into Obi-Wan’s bedroom. He was exactly the same as Anakin had left him, still sitting up in bed, still with his face buried in his hands, still crying.

Anakin put the comm on the bed in front of him and tugged on his sleeve.

Obi-Wan peeked up, eyes red and face streaked with tears.

Anakin pointed at the comm. “Someone on the comm for you.”

“Obi-Wan?” the countess said.

Obi-Wan stiffened. He slowly brought his hands away from his face and turned towards the comm. His face went white, his eyes widened. More tears spilled down his cheeks. “Mother?”

Obi-Wan tried to keep himself together, but at the sight of his mother, all his earliest memories started flooding back. Her warm hug, her comfort, her telling him he was going away to learn to be a Jedi, how scared and cold he’d been the first time he came to the Temple and how he was convinced it would never feel like home, how only after seeing Master Yoda and a waterfall in the Room of a Thousand Fountains did he think he might like it here, the visit home where he almost couldn’t leave again, but his mother encouraged him to go.

“Oh, you poor baby, what’s wrong?”

Obi-Wan’s Jedi training fled him. He broke down into more sobs. Hot tears blurred his vision. The feelings he’d tried to let go again and again and again came flooding back. “Everyone leaves me. No one wants me. What did I do wrong? Why does everyone leave? Why did Qui-Gon never care about me the same way he cared about everyone else? Why didn’t Siri let me come with her? Why does everyone go away?”

“My little Obi, you did nothing wrong. Don’t even let yourself think that. That Jedi Jinn left you because of something wrong in him, not in you. Nothing you could ever do could justify him leaving you in a warzone as a child. He was the one that failed, not you. Don’t ever think that it could be you.”

“But what about Siri? We love each other, I know she still loves me, but she wouldn’t let me come with her when she left the Jedi. Why?” The Jedi in him was wary of how desperate, how upset he was, but the little boy in him just wanted answers. Just wanted someone to love him.

Mother’s tiny holographic form reached out, as if to caress his face, then paused, as if she remembered she couldn’t. “Oh, honey, I don’t know this Siri, but…love is a complicated thing. Sometimes, it can drive you to do incomprehensible things. Perhaps she truly thinks she is doing what is best in not letting you follow her out of the Order. Perhaps she thinks she is saving your future, that you need to be a Jedi more than you need her. If she truly does love you, she never would have meant to abandon you. Whatever her reasons for doing what she did, if she loves you, she never would have meant to hurt you. Unfortunately, it’s the people we love the most that we end up hurting the most, even if we are trying to do what’s best for them.”

Obi-Wan nodded. “So you think she’s trying to do the right thing? Even by leaving me behind?”

“Of course,” Mother said. “Everything’s going to be okay, I promise.”

Father walked into the comm right next to Mother. “The ship’s ready.”

Obi-Wan’s breath caught. Father. He just stopped himself from reaching out to touch the hologram.

Mother nodded. “Sweetie, we’re on our way to see you. Everything’s going to be all right. Just hold on until we get there. You’re going to be okay.”

Father turned to him. “I love you, son. I’m proud of you. See you soon, okay?”

Obi-Wan melted into tears. His father was proud of him. “Okay.”

“We’ll be right there, sweetie. Just hang on.” Mother blew him a kiss, and the hologram deactivated.

Obi-Wan found himself waving at her. “Goodbye,” he whispered.

Anakin darted forward and wrapped his arms around Obi-Wan. He pressed a kiss to his cheek. “You’re awesome, Obi-Wan. Don’t forget that.” He pulled back. “I’ve gotta get to classes, but don’t be upset. I’ll be back, I promise. I’m not leaving you.” He darted out of the room.

Obi-Wan stared after him, then slowly picked up the comm. Mother and Father. They loved him. They cared about him. They were proud of him.

They were…coming to Coruscant?

Obi-Wan shuddered. He was going to get kicked out of the Jedi. For attachments. For not being able to get over everything. For being so upset.

Maybe he’d be able to chase Siri down and convince her to let him come with her.

Obi-Wan lay down and pulled the covers up. He didn’t feel like getting up today. Nothing was important enough for him to move. Anakin could get himself breakfast and to classes. He didn’t need him. No one needed him.

But…maybe his parents wanted him.

Maybe they loved him, even if no one else did.


End file.
